I Dreamed a Dream
by mandancie
Summary: It takes place during and after the Battle of Hogwarts. How do you deal with loss? WARNING: You may need a tissue. It IS canon complaint.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

 **A special thanks to The Lonely God With a Box for beta'ing my story.**

 **A/N: I know I should be updating the many stories that I have open, but this was on my heart to write. I've been tinkering with this idea since the Twins' birthday.**

 **Warning: You may need a tissue. It is canon complainant.**

George was so tired, but he was glad that the Death Eaters backed off. He walked towards the Great Hall because he was told that was where everyone was to meet up. He hoped that Fred would be there. They had gotten separated during the battle. Fred went to help some third year Ravenclaw girls who were being cornered by one of the Carrow twins. At Fred's insistence, George kept going, heading towards the front doors.

George walked into the Great Hall, and it was in ruins. The side of the wall was caved in. All the tables were gone. There were cots for the wounded and the dead. George looked down at his former Defense professor, laying next to his wife, both gone. He didn't stop. His legs kept him moving. He was looking for his family. After seeing Remus dead, anxiety crept into George. He had to see if his family were okay.

George saw his father first.

"Dad," George called out.

Arthur turned and sighed as he walked over to his middle child. Before George could take another step, Arthur had him in a tight hug.

"I'm so happy you're okay."

"What's going on?"

"Where were you?" Arthur asked pulling back, holding George at arm's length.

"The front gate," George said. "Where's everybody?" He looked over and saw his mother sitting on the floor. "Why is mom on the floor?"

"I'm sorry."

"What is it?" George said, fear creeping into his voice.

"It's Fred."

"No," George said, shaking his head. "No. You're lying." He pulled his arms out of his father's grasp.

George got free from his father and rushed over to where the other Weasleys were.

"FRED! FRED!"

"No, you can't."

Arms wrapped around George's waist preventing him from reaching the cot that held his twin.

"Let me go! I've got to get to him."

"You can't. He's gone."

"NO!"

George felt himself being turned around and his head lowered onto a shoulder. At first, he thought it was his father, but he felt a hand rubbing his back adding to the two that were already there. His father's voice was behind him.

"We're here."

It was the voice of the one holding George. For a second it shocked him from his tears. Percy. Percy was holding him. Comforting him. Stuck up, Percy. George tried to push his older brother away so that he could get to his other half, but there was no strength behind it.

_000_0000_0000_000

George gasped as he sat up in bed. It was another long night with the same nightmare. He looked around his room everything was still the same. When his eyes came upon the bed on the other side of the room, tears instantly pooled in his eyes.

How was he supposed to live without him?

Before that thought could leave his mind, the room door opened. George's eyes got wide at who he saw walking in the room.

Fred looked tired. Scratch that, Fred was tired. He had been working on a new product that he wanted to surprise George with, hence the reason George was upstairs in their flat above the store and not in the lab in the back of their store. Fred sighed as he rubbed his face. He and George will be forever grateful to Severus for the one-on-one or one-on-two he taught them in Potions.

Fred walked over to his bed and was about to take his jumper off when he felt a body collide with him and a pair of arms wrap themselves around his chest, trapping his arms against him.

"George," Fred strained from the tightening grip his twin was giving him.

Fred felt George put his head on his shoulder, and he could feel George saying something, but he couldn't understand him.

"Georgie, Georgie, let me go. Let me go so I can turn around."

The grip around Fred's waist wasn't removed, but it did loosen. Once Fred was able to turn and face his twin brother, he only had a second to move his arms and wrap them around George before he tightened his hold.

"What's wrong?" Fred asked.

"I love you so much, Freddie." George's voice was mumbled against Fred's shoulder.

"Where is this coming from?"

"Nightmare."

"About?" Fred asked, stepping out to arm's length with his hand on George's chest.

"The war. You died."

"I'm right here. I'll always be here."

"Freddy."

_000_000_0000_000

George gasped as he sat up on the bed. He quickly looked around the room. Instantly looking over to the bed next to his, he noticed that it was empty.

"Fred," George called out, getting out of the bed. "Fred, where are you?"

The bedroom door opened, George turned and looked to see who was coming in.

"Fred?"

"George," Arthur said as he walked in his son's room.

"Where's Fred?" George demanded.

Arthur slowly walked over to his middle child. He knew what he was about to say would hurt his son, but it was going to have to be told.

"He's not here."

"YES, HE WAS!"

"Fred is gone," Arthur said, standing in front of George, grabbing hold of his wrists. "His funeral was yesterday."

"No," George screamed, trying to pull his arms free. "He's not dead. He's not dead. He's not dead."

Arthur looked at his son. His heart broke for him. Yes, they just buried his boy, but this was George's other half. They never did anything without the other. Now, George was going to have to survive without Fred.

At this moment, Arthur worried about his son. Hearing the brokenhearted mantra of George not wanting to believe that his twin was dead was disconcerting.

"George," Arthur quietly called.

George stopped talking and looked at his dad, standing in front of him.

"Fred's dead, isn't he?" George asked, sounding defeated.

Arthur looked at George. He let go of his wrist long enough just to grip his son's shoulders and pull him into an embrace. George seemed to collapse into his father, gripping his father as tight as he could, hoping that whirlwind of emotions would stem as he held on to his father. When he felt his father's arms wrap around him, he didn't want his father to let him go. It seemed like the only thing holding him together was his father's embrace.

After a long while of just being there for each other, Arthur finally was able to coax his son back into bed, but George's fear of being alone was still prominent. It had been a long time since he stayed with one of his children while they slept. Sitting at the head of the bed, he looked down at his son who was still clinging to him, sleeping. Arthur knew it was going to be a long journey for his son, but the rest of the family would be there for George as long as it was necessary.

 **THE END**

 **A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read my one-shot. Please leave a review letting me know what you think about it.**

 **Many hugs and kisses to you all!**

 **Mandancie :)**


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